Positioning Techniques for User Equipment in a Network

Abstract

A location management function (LMF) of a network provides timing errors to user equipment and/or base stations for positioning purposes. The LMF receives an indication of an effective timing error for a downlink time difference of arrival (DL-TDOA) positioning technique, wherein the effective timing error is associated with a set of base stations configured to transmit positioning reference signals for the DL-TDOA and provides the effective timing error to a user equipment (UE) performing operations related to the DL-TDOA.

1 . A location management function (LMF) of a network configured to perform operations comprising:
 receiving an indication of an effective timing error for a downlink time difference of arrival (DL-TDOA) positioning technique, wherein the effective timing error is associated with a set of base stations configured to transmit positioning reference signals for the DL-TDOA; and   providing the effective timing error to a user equipment (UE) performing operations related to the DL-TDOA.   
     
     
         2 . The LMF of  claim 1 , wherein the providing the effective timing error comprises transmitting an LTE Position Protocol (LPP) Provide Assistance Data message including the effective timing error. 
     
     
         3 . The LMF of  claim 2 , wherein the LPP Provide Assistance Data message further comprises an indication of one of the set of base stations and a panel identification of the one of the set of base stations associated with the effective timing error. 
     
     
         4 . The LMF of  claim 1 , wherein the providing the effective timing error comprises instructing one of the set of base stations to broadcast a system information block (SIB) including the effective timing error, an indication of one of the set of base stations and a panel identification of the one of the set of base stations associated with the effective timing error. 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . The LMF of  claim 1 , wherein the effective timing error comprises a time stamp indicating one of when the effective timing error is valid or when the effective timing error should be applied. 
     
     
         7 . The LMF of  claim 1 , wherein the effective timing error comprises one of an absolute value or an accumulated value to be added to a previous provided effective timing error value. 
     
     
         8 . The LMF of  claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 receiving, from the UE, a LPP Provide Location Information message comprising an indication of a position of the UE, wherein the UE has calculated the position based on the DL-TDOA, and wherein the LPP Provide Location Information message further comprises an indication of whether the position has been calculated based on at least the effective timing error.   
     
     
         9 . The LMF of  claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 receiving, from the UE, a LPP Provide Location Information message comprising a received signal time difference (RSTD) measurement performed by the UE based on the DL-TDOA, wherein the LPP Provide Location Information message further comprises an indication of whether the RSTD measurement has been corrected based on at least the effective timing error.   
     
     
         10 . The LMF of  claim 1 , wherein receiving the effective timing error comprises:
 receiving, from the UE, a received signal time difference (RSTD) measurement performed by the UE based on the DL-TDOA;   receiving, from the UE, a measurement associated with a downlink angle of departure (DL-AOD) positioning technique performed by the UE; and   calculating the effective timing error based on at least the RSTD and the measurement associated with the DL-AOD.   
     
     
         11 - 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . The LMF of  claim 1 , wherein the effective timing error is associated with the set of base stations and an antenna panel of each of the set of base stations, wherein the operations further comprise:
 sending, to the set of base stations, a message indicating the antenna panel from which each of the set of base stations should transmit the positioning reference signals.   
     
     
         15 . A location management function (LMF) of a network configured to perform operations comprising:
 receiving an indication of an effective timing error for an uplink time difference of arrival (UL-TDOA) positioning technique, wherein the effective timing error is associated with a set of base stations configured to receive positioning reference signals from a user equipment (UE) for the UL-TDOA; and   providing the effective timing error to at least one of the set of base stations performing operations related to the UL-TDOA.   
     
     
         16 . The LMF of  claim 15 , wherein the providing the effective timing error comprises transmitting an NR Positioning Protocol A (NRPPa) Measurement Request message including the effective timing error and an identification of one of the set of base stations that should apply the effective timing error. 
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . The LMF of  claim 15 , wherein the providing the effective timing error comprises transmitting, to one of the set of base stations identified as a serving cell, an NR Positioning Protocol A (NRPPa) Positioning Information Request message including the effective timing error. 
     
     
         19 . The LMF of  claim 15 , wherein the effective timing error comprises a time stamp indicating one of when the effective timing error is valid or when the effective timing error should be applied. 
     
     
         20 - 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . The LMF of  claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 receiving, from one of the base stations, a NRPPa Measurement Response message comprising a relative time of arrival (RTOA) measurement based on the UL-TDOA, and wherein the NRPPa Measurement Response message further comprises an indication of whether the RTOA has been corrected based on at least the effective timing error.   
     
     
         23 . The LMF of  claim 15 , wherein receiving the effective timing error comprises:
 receiving, from one of the base stations, a relative time of arrival (RTOA) measurement performed by the base station based on the UL-TDOA;   receiving, from the base station, a measurement associated with an uplink angle of arrival (UL-AOA) positioning technique performed by the base station; and   calculating the effective timing error based on at least the RTOA and the measurement associated with the UL-AOA.   
     
     
         24 - 26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . A location management function (LMF) of a network configured to perform operations comprising:
 receiving an indication of an effective timing error for a multi-round trip time (m-RTT) positioning technique, wherein the effective timing error is associated with at least one base station and a user equipment (UE) configured to transmit and receive positioning reference signals for the m-RTT; and   providing the effective timing error to one of the base station or the UE.   
     
     
         28 . The LMF of  claim 27 , wherein the providing the effective timing error to the base station comprises transmitting an NR Positioning Protocol A (NRPPa) Measurement Request message including the effective timing error, wherein the effective timing error comprises one of (i) only a transmission group delay of the base station or (ii) a sum of a transmission group delay of the base station and a reception group delay of the UE. 
     
     
         29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . The LMF of  claim 27 , wherein the providing the effective timing error to the UE comprises transmitting a LTE Position Protocol (LPP) Provide Assistance Data message including the effective timing error, wherein the effective timing error comprises one of (i) only a transmission group delay of the UE or (ii) a sum of a transmission group delay of the UE and a reception group delay of the base station. 
     
     
         31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . The LMF of  claim 27 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 receiving, from one of the base station or the UE, a message comprising a time difference measurement associated with the m-RTT, wherein the message further comprises an indication of whether the time difference measurement was corrected using the effective timing error.